25 May 2017 | St Albans, UK [Victor Hulbert] Probably no other Adventist evangelist understands the challenges of Europe better than Pastor Mark Finley. While having been involved in mega-campaigns across the world he has equally committed time into seeking ways forward to reach people in the secularised cultures of the west, including a significant two-year Mission to the Cities programme in Dublin Ireland.
There was, therefore, surprise when, as an invited guest to Trans-European Division Spring Meetings on Monday, 22 May, Finley announced, “Church growth is impossible in a post-modern culture.” However, before the TED departmental directors and Union presidents fell off their chairs with shock, he quickly added, “but with God all things are possible.”
Finley compared the church board minutes of churches that succeed, with those that fail and noted that churches “immersed in the culture of difficulty” tend to whither, but that “if you focus on the positive,” then mission will happen. In Finley-style, he then gave very practical examples, inspiring Executive Committee members to emphasise mission, even on a day where the primary agenda items included financial reports and the auditors’ statement.
In expenditure, Jepuranovic noted that two per cent of tithe goes to support Newbold College of Higher Education. In reflections from the college board the previous day, TED president, Raafat Kamal, reinforced the importance of the college both in terms of ministerial training and as a centre of excellence for a variety of learning experiences, including the recently introduced MA in leadership. “We need to develop strong and creative leaders across Europe,” he stated, “and with the academic excellence being shown at Newbold there is no better place to do it.”
Following acceptance of the auditors’ report Jepuranovic also noted the careful money management at the TED with the 23 per cent on employee expense, including staff travel, being among the lowest in the world, despite being in a high-cost area.
Having established a secure financial footing, the day then moved onto the ‘how’ as various directors shared plans to help enhance mission in their areas of expertise, such as the TED publishing department approving US$41,000 for translation of key Ellen White books, including the first-time publication of the Great Controversy in Albanian, and the Ministry of Healing being made available in Lithuanian, where health ministry is an increasingly significant part of their outreach strategy.
Alastair Agbaje, Teen Ministries director and Newbold chaplain agreed, while fervently extolling the real benefits of youth involvement in Global Youth Day and similar programmes. ‘Fervour’ is actually a good word to describe each of the departmental presentations; directors highlighting just one or two aspects of their work that they feel passionate about, and that are making a difference.
“Your Union may not fund a project because you think it may fail,” he said. “But we are willing to fund creative/innovative experiments. Take a risk and some of them will work and can be copied elsewhere!” Finley agreed, “If you don’t have permission to fail, you’ll never have permission to succeed.”
Family ministries, Ministerial, Communication, Campus Ministries, and Health Ministries all got their turn. The committee voted to help Patrick Johnson, who currently serves as Ministerial Association Secretary plus another six hats including Sabbath School, Prayer Ministries and Disability Ministries, by combining the six under the active label, ‘Discipleship ministries’.
Sharing feedback from committee members afterward, Kamal told staff, “you modelled good leadership and exhibited credible, relevant visions and ideas that serve our fields.”
Wim Altink, Reidar Kvinge and Göran Hansen, three outgoing Union presidents for whom this will be their last Executive Committee, all expressed how networking with the TED was like being in a large family. As that family returned home to develop further strategies, plans and mission, the TED team is determined to take Pastor Finley’s words seriously: In the ‘impossible’ Mission Field of Europe, with God, all things are possible. [tedNEWS]
tedNEWS Staff: Victor Hulbert, editor; Esti Pujic, associate editor
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tedNEWS is an information bulletin issued by the communication department of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Trans-European Division.
